Ireland’s Moy Hill Farm, started by a community of surfers near the country’s famous cliffs of Moher, are looking to expand, which will enable farmers to plant 40,000 trees and to feed 150 families on the flat and windy Atlantic coast.

The voluteer-run Moy Hill Farm, founded by former pro surfer Fergal Smith, has launched a new crowdfunding campaign to buy 60 acres of land between their existing two sites. The crowdfunding campaign, launched via Crowdfunder, aims to raise an ambitious €500,000 ($550,000).

Two acres of land currently used by the farm include a field and community garden, now used for growing native fruits and vegetables as well as for planting a native tree orchard to preserve the local Irish heritage.

Moy Hill Farm holds free workshops on growing, cooking, building and works with several other non-profits with the common goal to promote healthy and sustainable communities in Ireland.

The farm currently produces food for over 50 families who buy into their vegetable box scheme, they run a community “cook up” on Friday evenings, and have begun reforesting this western part of Ireland, by planting 12,000 saplings to date.

With its unique location overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the seaboard of County Clare in Lahinch, it is no easy task to maintain Moy Hill Farm given the extreme weather conditions owing to the Atlantic Ocean. In spite of this, the community vibe among the team has enabled this nurturing group of volunteers to persevere in their efforts to “feed local people, love the earth and inspire”.

Launching their crowdfunding campaign, Moy Hill Farm said: “While this [60 acre land] land has it’s practical gifts like more space for native trees, more land for good food, and more nature under their care, it also carries a greater message of what is possible when a community comes together. You can grow our own food. You can drink clean water. You can give your children the gift of growing and enjoying nature.”

The Moy Hill Farmers hope that their story will have a greater purpose, to inspire and support others in reclaiming food, water, and educational sovereignty in their local areas.

Six-time Irish Open surf champion, Fergal Smith, himself grew up on a one-acre organic vegetable farm near Westport, County Mayo. He withdrew from the international sport of surfing when he began to feel the impact that his surfing career was having on the environment.

Pulling away from sponsors and settling down on his native Irish coastline, Fergal Smith now devotes his life to the small Moy Hill Farm farm where he and his family, along with friends, grow organic vegetables.

Last year, Fergal Smith stood as a candidate for the Green Party in Ireland’s general election.

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She is a writer who specialises in sustainable lifestyle and living, wellbeing, and entertainments. Rosa also works as a psychic, counsellor, intuitive reader and spiritual life coach helping people to become who they truly are and manifest their heart & soul’s desires into their lives: www.rosalindmedea.com

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